


Pathing the Forest

by Whorever



Series: Forest Guardian AU [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: D&D AU, F/F, F/M, Gen, Jean is a witch, M/M, Magic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reiner is a paladin, Slow Burn, Werewolves, annie is a rogue, d&d setting, marco and eren are wolves, why is Jean a witch and not a warlock or something? who knows
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-07 23:08:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11068986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whorever/pseuds/Whorever
Summary: A Paladin known as Reiner and his rogue partner Annie take on the task of providing a safe pathway through the forest for future business routes. What they're expecting to deal with turns out to be something they might not be able to handle. After meeting the Forest Guardian himself and his misfit of a family--a pair of wolves and an ill-tempered witch--it seems the further in the forest they go, the more danger they find waiting for them on the outskirts.





	Pathing the Forest

There were certain qualities a person had to have to become a Paladin. A true heart, as Reiner had always been told, was the most important. Being a Paladin meant doing what was always right, and while Reiner stood proud of all that he had accomplished, there was something about the task at hand that was really unappealing.

That being said, Reiner knew he'd have to take the mission that nobody else wanted. It was important--scout the forest near the outer edges of town to find the quickest and easiest way to make a path to the next village over. It was a smaller town with less supplies, and one that relied heavily on trade to keep running.

No one wanted this mission for a reason, though. But the Paladin in Reiner deemed it important enough so he felt he had no other choice than to come forward and take it (and therefore drag his partner, Annie, into it as well).

There were stories about that forest, plenty of them to scare away any normal townsfolk. Reiner had heard his fair share of them though, knowing how easy it was to get lost in a forest so dense as that one. The town he was to make a path for couldn’t risk traveling through it anymore, and that put them in danger of not having the supplies needed to be livable.

The guild Reiner and Annie belonged to wouldn’t risk something like that happening. Reiner scratched at his head, thinking over the numerous times business men had been reporting to them over this forest. At first, it just seemed to be a situation of someone losing their way along the path, but it’d slowly been happening more and more frequently. Enough to raise concern with the entire guild, frequently.

Reiner took in a breath as he went over what was said about the forest him and Annie were soon to leave and investigate.

The forest was rumored to be haunted. Wolves plagued the area and Imps were surely hidden in the depths. Most people that went in would not make it back--those that had claimed the guardian of the forest had guided them out--whatever that meant.

Whoever this Guardian was hadn’t been much help to those people anyway, most of them later dying of an unknown illness.

There was, of course, some sort of back story that Reiner was at least a little bit determined to find out. The town deserved to know and so did all the families that lost people to the thick greens of that forest.

Reiner was pulled from his thoughts at the sound of a loud snort he could recognize in his sleep, he was sure.

Sitting nearby as Reiner and Annie checked over their gear was a Rogue like Annie by the name of Ymir, and her partner Krista. The taller of the two looked up to Reiner.

"You're gonna fucking die," She cackled, earning a light shove from Krista.

"I'm sure you two will be fine!" The small blonde quickly added, sending an unconvincing smile to the duo.

Annie rolled her eyes in response. "If we die, we're using Reiner's money for our funeral," She quipped as her taller partner frowned and furrowed his eyebrows.

"That's my family's money," He pouted, watching as Annie left the room with her small pouch thrown over her shoulder.

Krista let out a quick sigh as she turned to face Reiner. "I'm sure she doesn't mean it," Her words meant less as Ymir barked out with laughter.

"Dude, no, she totally meant it," the freckled thief snorted before making her own leave. Both blonds stared after her before Krista laughed and shook her head.

"Be careful, okay?" The Cleric spoke, getting a small smile in response from Reiner. Krista was always such a nice person. If it weren't for the fact the taller of the two had little to no interest in females and Krista was obviously in love with her companion, Reiner might consider wooing her himself.

Reiner shook his head, tightening the straps on his knapsack and walked out of the room after her. He'd already told his parents about this mission and after much convincing, was ready to head out. Making it back was always going to be his only option. His family needed him.

If he was being honest, it was exciting. The duo of Annie and Reiner were one of the best in the guild. They'd finished missions most people wouldn't dare take, and this would just be adding another to that list. While most people would assume their personalities would clash, Reiner and Annie had managed to find a balance in each other that made them a dangerous pair to mess with. Where Annie was quick and small, Reiner was large and powerful. Getting locked in combat with them would prove fatal if Reiner believed in killing.

It was almost time to head out. Just a final run through of supplies and then grabbing food. Annie operated on efficiency, which meant Reiner had to as well. As little supplies as possible was best.

Annie was always in charge of deciding when they were done packing, and apparently that was now. She halted (nearly tripping Reiner) in front of the small food stand before nodding up to the man behind it.

"We'd just like a loaf of bread for the moment," She stated flatly--food had already been stocked and this was going to be a small meal before they headed out to their mission.

She slid her coins across to the man and in return got the loaf of bread and promptly split it in half to give to Reiner.

An elegantly dressed man stood by the stand, watching the two before approaching them.

"I'd appreciate if you'd hurry and go," He started in a polite tone, "The longer you two are here, the longer my business is hurting from the forest being closed off."

Annie raised an eyebrow and glanced up to Reiner. This was surely one of the people that had requested someone scout the forest.

"Yes sir," Reiner responded while lightly nudging Annie to begin walking, "We were just about to go." The man blinked at them before nodding and leaving the area as Reiner led the way in the opposite direction. The tips of Reiner’s fingers tingled after the exchange, sharing a look with Annie that brought him to the conclusion to remember that man’s face.

Reiner pushed the business man to the backs of his mind as he breathed a sigh of relief when they arrived at the outskirts of the town before shoving the remainder of his bread into his mouth.

"People really want this forest to be more accessible," He mumbled, mouth full.

Annie sent him a disgusted look before turning her focus back to the forest. "It seems so," The shorter blonde replied before sighing, "We'd better get paid well for this."

Reiner wasn't in it for the money, but he couldn't help but agree. He took a look back at the town, the people bustling through it in their own little worlds with their own problems. After walking with Annie closer towards the forest, Reiner halted, causing Annie to send him a passive look.

He tilted his head upwards and closed his eyes bringing his palm to his chest and going over a quick prayer to his God. As he finished, Reiner brought his head forward and said a quick “Praise be to Torm.” and then continued forward with Annie.

Annie took the time to pull her hood up over he head, officially making herself combat ready. The two hesitated just slightly as they came closer to the thick and dark greens of the forest.

There seemed to be a brief moment of walking where no sound nor wind passed through. As the pair took another step forward, there was a quick rush of wind that made the trees seem to whisper at one another. Reiner’s right hand rested on the sheath of his long sword, noticing right away that Annie had already equipped herself with a pair of daggers, on full alert of their surroundings.

“Look,” Her voice drew Reiner’s gaze to her, where she nodded in the direction she wanted him to see. Reiner followed it, at first not seeing anything, but sensing a presence his Paladin skill couldn’t figure out. The dark shadow he’d been staring into suddenly moved, Reiner seeing now that he’d been staring at the chest of a wolf. A very, __very__  large wolf. It’s fur was as dark as the night, it’s eyes locked right on to Reiner’s.

“Is that-” Reiner started, gripping his sword the second he saw it’s head drop. The wolf crouched as it stared at them, and then swiftly turned where it stood and headed deeper into the forest.

The pair stared after it for a long while, Reiner officially unable to sense it’s presence and relaxing. This caused Annie to do so as well, but only slightly. Annie’s blue eyes stared in the same direction the wolf had gone, her jaw set tight. “No one said a damn thing about us dealing with Werewolves.”

“Yeah.” Reiner agreed, having come to that conclusion earlier. “I guess we know what happened to all the missing people.”


End file.
